The Outsiders
Use these worksheets alongside your teaching of the literary classic The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton to help drive home themes, main ideas, and other key elements of the novel.
Please note: This unit is currently in progress. More worksheets will be added as they become available.
This worksheet asks students to reflect on ideas they will come across while reading The Outsiders, including how different social groups, stereotypes, popularity play into their own lives.
7th through 10th Grades
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Read a short passage about S. E. Hinton and what inspired her to write The Outsiders. Then read some historical background about the 1960s and answer the questions.
7th through 10th Grades
Answer a variety of short answer and multiple choice questions to support a meaningful understanding of the content from chapters 1 and 2.
7th through 10th Grades
Use these vocabulary cards to practice of this section's vocabulary words. Terms include greaser, editorials, hoods, fierce, Socs, madras, reckless, switchblade, rumble, cooler, incredulous, nonchalant, boozed, sober, rebellious, and bitter.
7th through 10th Grades
Answer the questions about the vocabulary terms from this part of the novel using context clues and your understanding of the words' meanings.
7th through 10th Grades
This two-page vocabulary worksheet includes matching and fill-in-the-blank activities with words from this section of the novel.
7th through 10th Grades
Complete this crossword puzzle using the clues for the vocabulary terms from chapters 1 and 2 of The Outsiders. An optional word bank is included.
7th through 10th Grades
Cite quotes from chapters 1–2 of The Outsiders to explain how the first-person point of view helps readers better understand Ponyboy and reveals his thoughts and feelings.
7th through 10th Grades
Fill in the table using multiple quotes from the first two chapters to describe each character. Then answer the short-response question.
7th through 10th Grades
This extended response question prompts students to write about how Darry is different from the rest of the boys in the gang. Students will use textual evidence and consider why Darry's differences might be important to the novel's narrative.
7th through 10th Grades
This writing prompt asks students to write an extended response about the characterization of the book's narrator and his brothers. Explore relationships between Ponyboy, Sodapop, and Darry, and explain what they suggest about the family.
7th through 10th Grades
Think about what is revealed about gender roles through the events of chapter 2. Use direct quotes as evidence to explain how female characters are viewed, spoken about, and treated by male characters in this part of the novel.
7th through 10th Grades
Write a well-developed, multi-paragraph response to this writing prompt explaining how some of Johnny's actions at the drive-in are unexpected based on what you know about him and what this tells us about his character.
7th through 10th Grades
These reading comprehension questions cover chapters 3 and 4 of The Outsiders and include short response and multiple choice questions involving theme, context clues, symbolism, and more.
7th through 10th Grades
The vocabulary words for this section are sophisticated, aloofness, ornery, broad, weed, hilt, finality, apprehensive, contemptuously, groggy, reformatory, and premonition. Use these vocabulary cards to help practice the terms.
7th through 10th Grades
Use context clues and your knowledge of the vocabulary terms from this section of the book to complete this worksheet.
7th through 10th Grades
Make sure your students understand the vocabulary words for chapters 3 and 4 of The Outsiders with this word scramble activity.
7th through 10th Grades
Test your students' knowledge and understanding of the vocabulary terms from this section with a fun crossword puzzle activity.
7th through 10th Grades
Read the quotes from chapters 3 and 4 and identify which character said them.
7th through 10th Grades
Once students have finished reading chapter 3, they can complete this graphic organizer on Johnny and Ponyboy's home lives and family relationships.
7th through 10th Grades
This printout prompts students to write about the interaction that takes place between Bob, Randy, Cherry, and Marcia in chapter 3, focusing on its reflection of societal expectation of gender roles during the time period.
7th through 10th Grades
This writing prompt asks students to reflect on the significance of the argument between Darry and Ponyboy, describe the argument, and tell what it reveals about the characters.
7th through 10th Grades
In this extended response activity, students will describe the violent interaction in the park between the greasers and Socs. They will also explain how it differs from student disagreements today, how it is similar, and delve into the details of confrontation among groups.
7th through 10th Grades
In chapter 4, Ponyboy and Johnny decide to run away rather than seek help from authorities or family members. With this extended response worksheet, students will consider how their socioeconomic status and family experiences likely shaped this choice.
7th through 10th Grades
Review important aspects of chapters 5 and 6 of The Outsiders with this question packet. Questions include both short answer and multiple choice responses.
7th through 10th Grades
The vocabulary words for this section of the book are fuzz, trademark, imploringly, gallant, hue, subsides, indignant, heater, self-defense, doggedly, conviction, and hysterics. Use these flashcards to help students practice the words and their definitions.
7th through 10th Grades
Confirm your understanding of the vocab words from this section by correctly answering the questions in this printout.
7th through 10th Grades
Fill in the missing letters to complete each of the vocabulary words from this part of the novel. Then write the full word on the line. Hints are given.
7th through 10th Grades
Use the vocabulary terms from chapters 5 and 6 to complete this crossword puzzle. Clues and an optional word bank are included.
7th through 10th Grades
Use quotes from chapters 1 through 6 of The Outsiders to identify and explain instances of different conflict types.
7th through 10th Grades
In chapter 5, Ponyboy recites Robert Frost's poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay." With this prompt, students will write about its overall meaning and connection to the themes of the novel so far.
7th through 10th Grades
Use evidence from the text to write about Dally's actions in regard to taking risks to visit and help Ponyboy and Johnny in chapters 5 and 6.
7th through 10th Grades
Focusing on the hospital scene at the end of chapter 6, analyze how Ponyboy and Darry's relationship evolves over the course of the story. Explain what finally makes Ponyboy realize Darry loves him and what his words at the end of the chapter mean.
7th through 10th Grades
Use this writing prompt to help students understand situational irony as it is created by the moment when Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dally are praised by a teacher after the fire in chapter 6.
7th through 10th Grades
Reinforce your students' understanding of the content of chapters 7 and 8 with these questions. Multiple choice, short answer, and graphic organizers are included.
7th through 10th Grades
Learn and review the definitions for the vocabulary terms from this part of the book. The words are appeal, critical, delinquent, manslaughter, genuine, exploits, moral, divert, reluctantly, desperate, and traitor.
7th through 10th Grades
Answer questions about this section's vocabulary words using context clues from the text as well as your knowledge and understanding of the terms.
7th through 10th Grades
Unscramble the vocabulary words to correctly spell the terms from this part of The Outsiders. Clues to help students think of the words are given.
7th through 10th Grades
Use the vocabulary words from this part of the book to complete the crossword puzzle. Clues about the definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and full-in-the-blank sentences are given.
7th through 10th Grades
With this creative writing prompt, students will pretend they are journalists assigned to write the newspaper article about the boys' heroic rescue of the children from the burning church.
7th through 10th Grades
Write about how Randy is characterized during his conversation with Ponyboy and how he has grown since the beginning of the novel. Address his internal conflict about being "marked chicken" vs. hating himself and what he means when he tells Pony, "You can't win."
7th through 10th Grades
With this writing prompt, students will explore how Randy characterizes Bob in conversation with Ponyboy. They'll write about whether or not they agree with Randy's thoughts and how they develop larger themes.
7th through 10th Grades
Explain why Johnny refuses to see his mother and what it reveals about him and his family relationships.
7th through 10th Grades
Your students will write about the mood of a specific scene from chapter 8, explaining how the author creates that mood through dialogue and actions.
7th through 10th Grades
Make sure your students understand the key events and themes from chapters 9 and 10 of The Outsiders with this printable worksheet.
7th through 10th Grades
Use these vocabulary cards to help students learn and remember the definitions for the following terms: mortal, menace, survey, conformity, vacant, tense, ruefully, convicts, agony, bluff, and delirious.
7th through 10th Grades
Review this section's vocabulary terms with the multiple choice questions on this printout.
7th through 10th Grades
With this vocabulary matching worksheet, students will match the terms from this section of the novel to the correct definitions.
7th through 10th Grades
Complete this crossword puzzle using vocabulary words from chapters 9 and 10 of The Outsiders, such as bluff, delirious, ruefully, and more!
7th through 10th Grades
With this activity, students are tasked with interpreting the poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost, which is referenced several times throughout the novel. They will paraphrase each line of the poem and also create an illustration representing their interpretation.
7th through 10th Grades
With this writing prompt, students will reread a passage from chapter 9. They will explain Ponyboy's feelings and how the passage develops a theme about identity, stereotypes, or social class.
7th through 10th Grades
Analyze Johnny's final words to Ponyboy: "Stay gold." Use details from the text to write about the symbolism of the phrase and Johnny's death scene as a whole, as well as how they connect to a central theme in the novel.
7th through 10th Grades
Discuss how Johnny's death affects Dally's emotions and decision-making, as well as Ponyboy's assessment of how Johnny and Dally's deaths will be remembered differently by society.
7th through 10th Grades
This writing prompt asks students to describe the events of Dallas Winston's death in their own words, explaining why he acts the way he does and what his ultimate intention was. Use examples from the text to analyze mood and imagery.
7th through 10th Grades
Answer these questions about chapters 11 and 12 of The Outsiders to reinforce an understanding of key events, themes, and lessons from the novel.
7th through 10th Grades
The vocabulary terms for this part of the book are vaguely, idolized, liable, bewildered, acquitted, absent-minded, lousing up, composition, scholarship, and veered. Use these vocabulary cards to practice the words and their definitions.
7th through 10th Grades
Make sure your students understand the vocabulary terms from this section of The Outsiders by having them answer the questions in this printout. They'll refer to quotes from the text, use context clues, and rely on their knowledge of the words to answer multiple choice questions.
7th through 10th Grades
At the end of chapter 11, Darry calls Ponyboy "little buddy." This writing prompt asks students to explain the significance of the nickname at that moment and analyze how the scene emphasizes the change in Darry and Ponyboy's relationship.
7th through 10th Grades
During Randy's visit, he insists Ponyboy did nothing wrong. Write about Ponyboy's response and how readers' knowledge contradicts it, as well as what kind of conflict Ponyboy is experiencing.
7th through 10th Grades
Explain the message Johnny leaves for Ponyboy and Dallas before he dies and how it helps to reveal one or more of the important themes in the novel.
7th through 10th Grades
Explain what Ponyboy means when he says this quote at the end of the novel. Consider what the text is revealed to be within the scope of the story and the larger message the author is trying to communicate to readers.
7th through 10th Grades
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